Gas turbine combustion system utilizing renewable and non-critical solid fuels with residue remover to minimize environmental pollution

Abstract

Pressurized communited solid fuel particles are mechanically reground in a fuel injector prior to being radially injected in a swirling motion into a combustor where the fuel is mixed with oxidizing fluid in a swirling motion that is opposite to the swirling motion imported to the solid fuel particles and burned to form both solid and gaseous products of combustion. The products of combustion are passed through separator where the solid products of combustor are removed by inertia. Means are also provided for injecting liquid or gaseous fuels into the combustor to assist in the combustion process and meeting varying load demands on the engine.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A combustor apparatus for burning solid fuel with oxidizing fluid and for removing solid residues from the products of combustion, said apparatus comprising: a combustion chamber;   means for pulverizing said solid fuel and for injecting said pulverized solid fuel into said combustion chamber, said pulverizing and injecting means being mounted into said combustion chamber, said means for pulverizing and for injecting said pulverized solid fuel further comprising: an injector having an outer body and an inner body rotatably mounted with respect to said outer body;   means for repulverizing coagulated pulverized solid fuel, said repulverizing means being integral with said inner and outer body of said injector; and   means for injecting the repulverized solid fuel into said combustion chamber;     means for supplying oxidizing fluid into said combustion chamber, said supplying means mixing said fluid with said repulverized solid fuel to form a mixture of combustion;   means for igniting said mixture of combustion, said igniting means being mounted to said combustion chamber such that the mixture of combustion in said combustion chamber is ignited to form gaseous products of combustion and solid residues suspended in said gaseous products of combustion; and   means for separating said solid residues from the gaseous products of combustion, said separating means further comprising an inertia separator mounted downstream of said combustor.   
     
     
       2. A combustor apparatus for burning pulverized solid fuel, liquid fuel or gaseous fuel with preheated air and for removing solid residues from the products of combustion, said apparatus comprising: a combustion chamber having an inner flow passage and outlet means;   means for pulverizing said solid fuel to a predetermined particle size and for injecting said pulverized solid fuel into said inner flow passage of said combustion chamber in a first predetermined direction, said means for pulverizing and for injecting said pulverized solid fuel further comprising: an injector having an outer body and an inner body rotatably mounted with respect to said outer body;   means for repulverizing said pulverized solid fuel to said predetermined particle size, said repulverizing means being integral with said inner and outer body of said injector such that coagulated pulverized solid fuel is repulverized to said predetermined particle size; and     means for injecting said repulverized solid fuel into said inner flow passage of said combustion chamber;   means for supplying preheated air into said inner flow passage of said combustion chamber, said supplying means contiguous said combustion chamber such that preheated air enters said inner flow passage of the combustion chamber and mixes with the repulverized solid fuel to form a first mixture of combustion;   means for igniting said mixture of combustion, said igniting means being mounted to said combustion chamber so as to extend into said inner flow passage such that the mixture of combustion in said inner flow passage is ignited to form gaseous products of combustion and solid residues suspended in the gaseous products of combustion; and   means for separating said solid residues from the gaseous products of combustion, said separating means being connected to the outlet means of said combustion chamber.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for separating further comprises an inertia separator mounted to said outlet means of the combustion chamber. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for igniting comprises a flame ignitor mounted to said combustor. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further comprising: means for injecting liquid fuel into said inner flow passage of the combustion chamber; and   means for mixing said liquid fuel with said preheated air so as to form a second mixture of combustion such that when said second mixture of combustion is ignited by said igniting means said second mixture of combustion forms gaseous products of combustion.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus as described in claim 2 further comprising: means injecting gaseous fuel into said inner flow passage of the combustion chamber, said injecting means being connected to said combustion chamber; and   means for mixing said gaseous fuel with said preheated air so as to form a second mixture of combustion such that when said second mixture of combustion is ignited by said igniting means said second mixture of combustion forms gaseous products of combustion.   
     
     
       7. A combustor apparatus for burning solid granulated fuel with preheated air and for removing solid residues, said apparatus comprising: a combustion chamber comprising: an inner flow passage;   an outer flow passage surrounding said inner flow passage;   a tubular member separating said inner flow passage from said outer flow passage, said tubular member further having a dome portion at one end and an outlet at the other end of said tubular member;   means for imparting a swirl motion to said preheated air in said outer flow passage, said imparting means swirling said preheated air in a first predetermined direction;   means for injecting repulverized solid fuels into said inner flow passage, said injecting means injecting said solid fuel in said dome portion of the tubular member in a second predetermined direction opposite to said first predetermined direction so as to impart a swirling motion to said solid fuel in said inner flow passage;   means for supplying swirling preheated air from said outer flow passage to said inner flow passage, said supplying means being integral with said tubular member so that air flows from said outer flow passage through said supplying means and into said inner flow passage to mix with the solid fuel in said tubular member and form a mixture of combustion;   means for igniting said mixture of combustion, said igniting means being mounted to said combustion chamber so as to extend into said inner flow passage, such that the mixture of combustion in said inner flow passage is ignited to form gaseous products of combustion and solid residues suspended in the gaseous products of combustion;   means for separating the solid residues from the gaseous products of combustion, said separating means mounted downstream of said outlet of the combustion chamber, said separating means further comprising:   a tubular member mounted downstream of said combustion chamber, said tubular member having a conical end portion and a plurality of slots formed in the outer periphery of the tubular member; said tubular member further having an outer flow passage and an inner flow passage   a plurality of slotted members mounted longitudinally to the inside surface of said tubular member, each of said plurality of slotted members having a central passage, each of said plurality of slotted members further being located in spaced relation to each of said slots in the outer periphery of the tubular member to form a first flow passage communicating said outer flow passage to said inner flow passage and a second flow passage communicating said outer flow passage to said central passages of the plurality of slotted members such that the products of combustion in said outer flow passage of the tubular member mounted downstream of said combustion chamber enter said plurality of slotted members and become separated into said first and second flow passages whereby said solid residues are separated from said products of combustion and flow into said central passages along said second flow passage;   means for collecting said solid residues flowing in said central passage, said collecting means being contiguous to said tubular member downstream of said combustion chamber; and   means for cooling the solid residues and the gaseous products of combustion to a predetermined temperature.